On the empty rain-swept street, two figures ran.
They weren't running from the rain; they were searching for someone.
"Wait for me! Do you know where Ais-chan went? You're running too fast!"
Loki, soon breathless, waved to Riveria Ljos Alf. Even as Gods, stripped of their divine power, they were weaker than ordinary humans.
Riveria Ljos Alf stopped. She didn't know where Ais Wallenstein had gone, but she suspected she was looking for Arthas.
"So annoying, I'm soaked,"
Loki grumbled, taking shelter under a street awning.
"Goddess-sama, Bete's in danger. We don't have time to complain about the rain!"
"Aaaaah… I know. If she's looking for that kid, I know where he lives."
Seeing her Goddess's certainty, Riveria Ljos Alf felt curious, but aimlessly searching wasn't an option.
Though her Goddess was unreliable, she'd trust her for now.
"Let's go."
After a moment's recollection, Loki ran towards the dilapidated church, and Riveria Ljos Alf followed, braving the rain.
The sound of rain filled their ears. As the rain intensified, the church floor became drenched.
Ais Wallenstein looked at the man before her. After hearing his words, she believed he wasn't lying.
"Perhaps… you didn't realize you used magic?"
Remembering how she'd frozen the Minotaur and frostbitten herself, Ais Wallenstein considered a possibility.
If Arthas was a three-day-old adventurer, everything made sense.
Unconsciously, he'd used magic, causing the consequences.
"Can I see your stats?"
Ais Wallenstein made an impolite request.
She wondered what stats and skills allowed Arthas to unconsciously unleash such powerful magic.
A Level 1 adventurer harming a Level 5 like herself and Bete.
"Um… stats… now?"
"Is that not okay?"
Ais Wallenstein tilted her head.
"It's not impossible… um… come down."
Since Ais Wallenstein was unconcerned, Arthas didn't mind. He led her to the basement.
As he did with Hestia, Arthas took off his shirt and lay on the bed. Ais Wallenstein sat on his back, examining him.
Arthas's stats were unremarkable, all at the lowest level I, except for magic.
The magic stat showed a question mark. Ais Wallenstein frowned.
She remembered something her Goddess had mentioned.
Basic ability improvement is linked to race and skill usage frequency. Elves improve magic more easily; for beastfolk, agility is easier. The basic ability limit is 1000, or S rank, but exceptions exist.
SS or SSS ranks! But according to the Goddess, no one in Orario had exceeded the limit.
As for the question mark…
"Beyond SS and SSS… could there be a rank beyond SSS?"
She'd asked her Goddess out of curiosity, and the Goddess had smiled.
"Beyond SSS? Not for humans, elves, or beastfolk. Perhaps by making a contract with a God? At that level, the stats would be a question mark; it's beyond the contract's scope."
Now, Ais Wallenstein saw a question mark beyond SSS. She looked at Arthas's back, unsure what to say.
No wonder his magic could harm her and Bete… it was magic exceeding SSS rank.
"What's wrong? My stats are pathetic, right?"
He felt fine with Hestia, but being seen by a stranger made him embarrassed.
After his confession, Arthas started thinking about getting stronger.
This world valued strength. To make Riveria Ljos Alf his, he needed immense power—enough to disregard the entire Loki Familia.
"Strength…"
Arthas muttered, desiring strength for the first time.
"Wallenstein… can you teach me how to get stronger?"
"Eh…"
Arthas's sudden question startled Ais Wallenstein.
"I can't continue like this. How can I get Riveria Ljos Alf if I don't get stronger?"
"Are… you serious?"
Ais Wallenstein tilted her head.
"I've already confessed. Of course, I'm serious."
Arthas chuckled, and Ais Wallenstein shook her head.
"But it's impossible. You're Hestia's Familia member, and Riveria Ljos Alf is from our Loki Familia. Inter-Familia relationships are forbidden!"
"Yes… that's why I need strength—strength to ignore those rules."
Arthas said this seriously, and Ais Wallenstein fell silent. Her eyes glazed over, and she unconsciously stroked Arthas's back.
Then, the basement door burst open.
"Ais-chan, you're here!"
Loki and Riveria Ljos Alf entered, their bodies freezing at the sight before them.
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